8 fabulous filter plug-ins

A selection of the best that the market has to offer

Take your pick

The filter is one of the staples of the modern studio. At the most basic level, a filter allows some frequencies through but not others. Throw in resonance and you can add edge to filter cutoff points.

LFO, envelope and/or sequence control of the filter’s frequency range and resonance takes things to yet another level, while different filter types can transform the character entirely.

Multiple filters stacked in parallel or placed in series can put dizzying degrees of complex sonic shaping at your control. Finally, clever controls and setup can aid performances and active modulation.

Of course, you don’t need all of these features all of the time, and filters can vary greatly in sound, from warm and natural to edgy and digital.

To help you decide which is right for you, we’ve rounded-up some of the very best filter plug-ins on the market today.